Flow-visualization of three-dimensional boundary-layer separation on bodies of revolution at incidence

Surface streamline patterns on three bodies of revolution, namely a spheroid, a low-drag body and a hemisphere-hemispheroid combination body, have been examined at several angles of attack. Most of the tests were performed at low Reynolds numbers in a hydraulic flume using colored dye to make the surface flow visible. A limited number of experiments were also carried out in a wind tunnel, using wool tufts, to study the influence of Reynolds number and turbulent separation. The study has verified some of the important qualitative features of three-dimensional separation criteria proposed earlier by Maskell, Lighthill, Wang and others. The observed locations of laminar separation lines on a spheroid at various incidences have been compared with the numerical boundary-layer solutions of Wang, and it is suggested that the quantitative differences may be attributed to the significant viscous-inviscid interaction, especially at large incidences.